Correa Urges Senator Johnson To Get Secretary-Nominee Wolf to Commit on Record That He will Uphold the Constitution
Secretary-Nominee Wolf Should Not Be Confirmed Unless He Agrees Not To Use Federal Protective Services To Illegally Keep Trump in Office
Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Lou Correa urged Senator Ron Johnson to ask Secretary-Nominee Chad Wolf during his upcoming confirmation hearing to uphold the Constitution and respect the peaceful transition of power this November.
Rep. Lou Correa said, “My colleagues and I are greatly concerned about a smooth transfer of power if President Trump loses the election in November. The Administration is trying to ensure that he wins at all costs, by, for example, slowing down the U.S. Postal Service and halting election security briefings to Congress. If Vice President Biden wins, the President must follow the Constitution. Based on the President’s comments, we are concerned that he will not relinquish power and try to stay in office illegally.
“During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Homeland Security Committee, I urge Chairman Johnson to ask Secretary-nominee Wolf, on the record, to make the same commitment that Joint Chief Of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley made, namely the promise to respect the peaceful transition of presidential authority under the Constitution. We need to ensure that he will follow the U.S. Constitution regardless of who wins the Presidential election.”
Rep. Lou Correa added, “Mr. Wolf has repeatedly used the Federal Protective Services, and other federal officers under his control, against our civilian population. The Department of Homeland Security was created to defend our nation from foreign attacks. The American people deserve to know they will not be used to influence our electron or disrupt the peaceful passage of power.”
The letter was led by Congressman Lou Correa, and signed by Rep. Darren Soto, Rep. Alan Lowenthal, and Rep. Nanette Barragán.
Read the letter:
The Honorable Ron Johnson
Chairman
Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Washington, DC 20510
Chairman Johnson:
We are greatly concerned about a smooth transfer of power if President Trump loses the election in November. The Administration is trying to ensure that he wins at all costs, for example slowing down the U.S. Postal Service and halting election security briefings to Congress. If Vice President Biden wins and the President cannot dispute the results, we are greatly concerned that he will not relinquish power and try to stay illegally in office.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, in written comments to Congress, stated, “I believe deeply in the principle of an apolitical U.S. military,” and promised to respect the peaceful transition of presidential authority under the Constitution. We applaud the Chairman’s support of the rule of law and the Constitution.
We want to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security Secretary-nominee Chad Wolf will also uphold the Constitution. While performing the duties of Acting Secretary, Mr. Wolf sent the Federal Protective Service as a paramilitary force into cities without the consent of the local authorities. In many cases, FPS seems to be there to increase tensions or for political reasons.
In an opinion piece for the Washington Post, titled “What’s the worst that could happen?” Georgetown University law professor, Rosa Brooks, outlines several potential outcomes for the 2020 presidential election, including the possibility that President Trump could refuse to concede if he loses, resulting in a less than “orderly” transition of power. Brooks says, “military and law enforcement leaders can prepare for the possibility that politicians will seek to manipulate or misuse their coercive powers. Partisans, including Trump, may try to deploy law enforcement... to “restore order”... The federal response to this summer’s protests in D.C.’s Lafayette Square and Portland, Ore., suggests that this is not purely speculative.”
During his confirmation hearing before your Committee, we urge you to ask Secretary-nominee Wolf on the record to make the same commitment that General Mark Milley made, namely the promise to respect the peaceful transition of presidential authority under the Constitution. We need to ensure that he will follow the U.S. Constitution regardless of who wins the Presidential election.
Thank you in advance for your consideration of this request and for your efforts to protect our Democracy.
Sincerely,
J. Luis Correa
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